Attacking Iran while pushing affordability at home has put President Trump in a tough spot, but this is the United States of America. We can shoot guns and churn butter at the same time.
So far, the President is making all the right moves. Releasing oil from the <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/11/trump-strategic-petroleum-reserve-00823816">strategic reserve</a>, considering a temporary <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-tells-oil-industry-prepare-jones-act-waiver-domestic-2026-03-12/">suspension of the Jones Act</a>, and offering tankers naval escorts and U.S.-backed insurance for their passage through the Strait of Hormuz will all help keep the oil flowing.
If he can wrap the war relatively soon, gas prices could be back to normal before the midterms. They might even be lower if he manages to arm-twist whoever ends up ruling Iran into redirecting their oil exports from China to the West.
In the meantime, Trump is <a href="https://www.socialnews.xyz/2026/03/12/trump-claims-economic-surge-in-ohio-speech/">traveling the country</a> to <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/trump-affordability-kentucky-ohio-iran-war/amp/">tout</a> all the ways he’s already brought down the cost of living: no tax on tips and overtime, lower drug prices thanks to TrumpRx and most-favored nation pricing, mild inflation, lower mortgage rates, and trillions of dollars’ worth of job-creating investments in the American economy.
These are all huge wins, but this is no time for the Trump administration to rest on its laurels. It needs a forward-looking agenda that tells voters they’re nowhere near done saving them money and the best is yet to come.
These proposals should be easy to shape into compelling campaign messages and should address key sources of cost-of-living anxiety like housing, groceries, and childcare. Bonus points if they involve Congress, since they’re the ones who’ll actually appear on the ballot in November.
If Trump wants to preserve voters’ goodwill in the midst of the ongoing conflict, he should start by working with Congress to fix and then pass the <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/scott-warren-release-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-legislative-package-to-boost-housing-supply-and-bring-down-costs">21st Century ROAD to Housing Act</a>, which aims to bring down home prices by making it easier to build.
Letting this bill fail due to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/12/housing-affordability-bill-senate-passage">GOP opposition in the House</a> would make the party less credible as champions of affordability. Unfortunately, with the bill in its current form, that opposition is justified.
The bill would ban investors from constructing new “built-to-rent” (BTR) single-family homes, a key option for many families who long to live in a home as opposed to an apartment. This would remove a key <a href="https://eyeonhousing.org/2024/08/solid-levels-of-single-family-built-for-rent-construction/">source of new housing inventory</a> from the market at a time when overall home construction is <a href="https://katv.com/news/connect-to-congress/limits-on-build-for-rent-homes-in-housing-bill-draws-industry-pushback-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-institutional-investors-housing-supply-home-affordability">dropping sharply</a>.
If the bill is supposed to increase housing supply and lower costs, it should do that, not give with one hand and take with the other.
It’s true that BTRs don’t satisfy the dream of home ownership. They could, however, help millions of young couples afford the space they need to start families now instead of putting it off for years while they save for a down payment.
Second, Trump should find a way to put money in parents’ pockets as soon as possible. Trump accounts will pay off “bigly” in 18 years or so — especially if more billionaires follow <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/12/landmark-dell-gift-supercharges-trump-accounts-for-americas-kids/">Michael and Susan Dell’s example</a> — but families with young children are struggling right now.
There is a proposal floating around among conservative family policy experts that would accomplish this goal. It’s called the <a href="https://americancompass.org/the-family-income-supplemental-credit/">Family Income Supplemental Credit (or FISC)</a>, and it would essentially increase the Child Tax Credit and distribute it as series of monthly cash payments: $800 a month for the second half of pregnancy, $400 a month from birth through age six, and $250 a month from ages 6 to 18.
In the 2024 election, parents with minor children at home <a href="https://catholicvote.org/parents-of-minor-kids-voted-for-trump-by-wide-margin-after-backing-biden-harris-in-2020/">voted for Trump</a> by a nine-point margin after breaking for Biden four years earlier. If they’d all stayed home, Harris would’ve won the popular vote 50-48 (and possibly the Electoral College too). Rewarding this key group of swing voters for producing the next generation of Americans would pay huge dividends for Republicans in the 2026 midterms and beyond.
Finally, Trump could rack up an easy and immediate win without help from Congress by simply ending his predecessor’s war on bulk pricing.
Lina Khan, the radical progressive Biden chose to run the Federal Trade Commission, spent four years trying to punish American companies for the crime of success.
Two of her lawsuits, against Pepsi and alcoholic beverage distributor Southern Glazer’s, used an obsolete Depression-era law to argue that suppliers cannot offer bulk discounts to their largest customers. If either of these lawsuits were to succeed, it would drive up prices at some of Americans’ favorite retailers, including Walmart and Costco.
The FTC <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-dismisses-lawsuit-against-pepsico">dismissed</a> the Pepsi lawsuit last May, but the other is <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2110155-southern-glazers-wine-spirits-llc-ftc-v">still pending</a>. Trump should put this question to bed once and for all by urging his FTC Commissioner, Andrew Ferguson, who has already slammed the suit as government overreach, to drop the case. There’s no better way to win the working family vote than to get up on stage and declare, “I saved Costco!”
The war with Iran is a complication few political strategists would have wished for this close to the midterms. But if President Trump can keep the oil flowing, end the war quickly, and demonstrate his continued commitment to affordability, voters will happily forgive a little temporary pain at the pump, especially when it creates more world peace.
* * *
Jason Chaffetz served as a member of the U.S. Congress from 2009 to 2017. He chaired the House Oversight Committee.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Yes, Trump Can Fight Iran And Save American Families Money At the Same Time

2026 Midterms

affordability

Congress

Donald Trump

Economy

Gas Prices

Iran

Opinion

President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a stark 48-hour ultimatum to Iran, warning that the United States will begin targeting the country’s energy infrastructure if it does not reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz.
“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116269822349947644">Truth Social</a> at 7:44 p.m. EST.
The warning marks one of the most direct threats yet on Iranian infrastructure as the conflict enters a dangerous new phase. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most critical waterways in the world, carrying roughly one-fifth of the global oil supply during peacetime.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">Since early March</a>, traffic through the narrow passage has been severely restricted following Iranian military actions, including attacks on commercial vessels and the laying of naval mines, according to international statements.
The disruption has already sent oil prices surging, with global markets reacting to fears of prolonged instability in the region.
Trump signaled in <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2035083241695203791">recent remarks</a> that reopening the strait would not be overly complex militarily, though it would require significant coordination. “It’s relatively safe … you need ships, you need volume,” he told reporters Friday, describing the operation as a “simple military maneuver.”
At the same time, the president criticized NATO allies for failing to step in. “NATO could help us, but they so far haven’t had the courage to do so,” Trump said, after earlier <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116261796648776538">blasting</a> the alliance as “cowards.”
Despite Trump’s criticism, more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and Canada have signed a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-from-the-leaders-of-the-united-kingdom-france-germany-italy-the-netherlands-and-japan-on-the-strait-of-hormuz-19-march-2026">joint statement</a> condemning Iran’s actions. “We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels … and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” the statement read.
The countries also signaled their “readiness to contribute” to ensure safe passage through the waterway, suggesting the early stages of a potential multinational response. Trump&#8217;s ultimatum comes just days after U.S. forces carried out strikes on Iranian anti-ship missile sites near the strait.
According to <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2034040698954031326?ref">U.S. Central Command</a>, the operation involved 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, targeting capabilities believed to threaten maritime traffic. The escalation underscores how quickly the standoff is moving from economic pressure to direct military confrontation.
Iranian officials have pushed back on U.S. demands, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claiming in an interview with <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/articles/-/72724">Kyodo News</a> that restrictions have only applied to countries involved in attacks on Iran. At the same time, Iran has issued its own warnings, <a href="https://x.com/mb_ghalibaf/status/2035665493307130044">threatening to target</a> U.S.-aligned energy infrastructure across the region if strikes continue.
Iran launched one of its most destructive attacks of the conflict over the weekend, with missiles striking southern Israel and injuring more than 100 people, including civilians in residential areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate “on all fronts,” as Israeli forces reportedly carried out additional strikes inside Iran.
Asian countries such as Japan are heavily dependent on oil shipments through the passage, with the Japanese already weighing potential military involvement, including minesweeping operations, if conditions allow. Meanwhile, global oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel multiple times during the conflict, raising concerns about inflation and economic disruption far beyond the Middle East.
Trump’s ultimatum now sets a clear deadline in a high-stakes staring contest: if Iran does not comply, the United States could move from targeting military assets to striking core infrastructure inside the country. With both sides escalating, the next 48 hours may determine whether the conflict remains contained or spirals into something far larger.

Trump Draws Red Line: 48 Hours To Open Strait Or U.S. Strikes Begin

Global Politics

Strait of Hormuz

World

America&#8217;s allies are finally ready to step up to the plate after years of dithering on the Iranian threat.
Those allies are ready with all their combined strength: Germany, France, UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, and Japan. They are firing on all cylinders with urgency, resolve, and action.
Yes, that&#8217;s right. Our allies, who have been reliant on our largesse and mutual defense for decades, finally announced that they are going to help us, their patron state, the United States — with a very strongly-worded letter.
Our allies are doing what they do best. They are saying things.
At some point, the questions have to be asked: Who are our true allies? Who is actually stepping up to the plate? Who is merely judging from the sidelines?
In lieu of any real world support, our valiant allies have now issued a strongly worded letter.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2392-sub?elementPosition=1&amp;row=6&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974957" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp" alt="DailyWire+" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1024x171.webp 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-300x50.webp 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-768x128.webp 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-1536x256.webp 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/511983dad25841c8b1ec058d75769bbe-2048x341.webp 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Here&#8217;s what the letter says:
<blockquote>We condemn in the strongest terms, recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces. We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict.
We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines and drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the strait to commercial shipping and to comply with U.N. Security Council Resolution 28-17. We call for an immediate comprehensive moratorium on attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations. We call on all states to respect international law and uphold the fundamental principles of international prosperity and security.</blockquote>
Whoa, dude. Harsh stuff.
Iran must be quaking in its boots. Our allies are saying things.
The Europeans, Japan? They&#8217;re expressing “deep concern.” Not “regular” concern. “Deep” concern. They are calling on Iran to do things and to stop being so mean.
But wait, isn&#8217;t there some sort of commitment to action in the letter?
The statement does say this: “We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure a safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning.”
That sounds good, right? But what does “appropriate efforts” mean? Who decides what is “appropriate?”
According to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/19/strait-hormuz-coalition-allies-statement-uk">Axios</a>, “On Thursday morning, NATO head Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and convinced him to lift his opposition to the political statement of support, while leaving the discussion on the practical steps for later.”
Now, to be fair to Rutte, there&#8217;s not much he can do. He&#8217;s the head of NATO, but he can&#8217;t simply deploy force. He certainly recognizes the Iranian threat, and he would like to avoid alienating the United States.
He said, “We all agree, as we always did, that it was crucial for Iran not to get its hands on a nuclear capability, a ballistic missile capability. And what the U.S. is doing at the moment is degrading that capability of Iran. And I think that&#8217;s very important. This is important for European security, for the Middle East. It is vital for Israel itself.”
 The Japanese are also paying lip service here; the Japanese prime minister told President Trump, “I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world,” adding they would “reach out to many of the partners in the international community, to achieve our objective together.”
So what are our allies actually committing to?
Nothing. This sort of stupidity is nothing new for our allies, who are quite fond of empty verbiage as a substitute for credible threat of force.
Go all the way back to 1919, when the covenant of the League of Nations was integrated into the Treaty of Versailles. That attempt to form a family of nations — while it was not a success — led to 1928, when 15 countries came together to sign what was called the Kellogg-Briand Pact.
It outlawed war.
Did you know that? That war was outlawed in 1928? The signatories included France, the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Belgium, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Italy, and Japan. 47 more nations joined in as well.
And then, three years later, in 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria and nobody did anything. And by 1941, every single nation that had signed the treaty, with the exception of Ireland — which basically stayed out of the war and sided with Germany — was enmeshed in World War II.
Empty verbiage.
The same thing holds true today. For decades, our allies have pretended to oppose the Iranian terror regime while doing virtually nothing to hold them accountable. They&#8217;ve imposed some rather minor sanctions targeting specific officials, unless the United States has pushed them into broader sanctions.
We&#8217;ve had to do all the hard work, as per our usual arrangement.
So here&#8217;s the deal. If we&#8217;re going to do all the work and undertake all the sacrifice and spend the blood and treasure, then we ought to reap the benefit. 
There&#8217;s been a lot of talk about what the United States ought to do next with regard to Iran. The most obvious move, and one I&#8217;ve been advocating, is for the United States to seize Kharg Island. President Trump has been suggesting for a while that this may happen.
Nearly 90% of all Iranian oil passes through Kharg Island. The Iranians have already, in large part, shut the Strait of Hormuz. They&#8217;ve already upped the ante in terms of attacks on surrounding gas and oil facilities. So the United States doesn&#8217;t have tremendous downside here.
What&#8217;s Iran going to do, attack more oil facilities? We ought to seize control of the oil, and then we ought to let American companies keep pumping it, and then we ought to send it to its final destination, China. China would then know that we are in charge of the spigot; Iran&#8217;s terrorist government would be deprived of their monetary flow.
What about the Europeans?
If the price of oil rises, they can buy it from us, not the Iranians.
If they&#8217;re not going to join us as allies, they can pay our companies for the oil.

NATO Leaders Attend 2025 Summit In The Hague

Fake Allies And Backstabbers

Ben Shapiro

European Union

Japan

Middle East

NATO

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States does not need NATO&#8217;s help in its war with Iran, after most alliance members declined to join the military operation.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116245182325726375">wrote</a> on Truth Social. 
Trump’s post comes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-warns-natos-future-could-be-very-bad-if-allies-refuse-to-help-secure-strait-of-hormuz?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Warns+NATO%E2%80%99s+Future+Could+Be+%E2%80%98Very+Bad%E2%80%99+If+Allies+Refuse+To+Help+Secure+Strait+Of+Hormuz">after</a> he called for international assistance securing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world&#8217;s oil supply passes. He warned on Sunday that NATO would face a “very bad” future if it did not help open the strait. 
“I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said. 
Despite the lack of support, Trump said that the United States is no longer seeking NATO assistance, saying the United States had already “decimated” Iran’s military, including its navy and air force. 
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,” Trump said. “In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
As Iranian officials have pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, Trump said Sunday that he was asking other countries, including China, for help “policing” the strait. 
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas <a href="https://abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/eu-weighs-action-strait-hormuz-open-131109449">said</a> Monday the bloc is “discussing” potential actions, noting it is in Europe’s interest to keep the strait open.
Oil prices have surged since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28. Brent crude rose above $100 per barrel on Tuesday, while the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">national average</a> for gasoline reached $3.79 a gallon, up from $2.91 a month ago. 
Trump has said that destroying Iran’s nuclear program would justify higher energy prices.

President Trump Meets With Irish Prime Minister Martin For St. Patrick’s Visit

Trump’s Cold Shoulder Message To NATO After Allies Leave U.S. Hanging

Operation Epic Fury

On Monday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on CNBC to deliver a blunt, high-stakes briefing on the geopolitical chess match currently upending global energy markets.
With U.S.-traded oil hitting the $100-a-barrel mark for only the third time in a decade, Bessent laid out a cold, calculated strategy for a world gripped by what he termed the &#8220;head of the snake&#8221; in Tehran.
Bessent didn’t mince words regarding the administration’s goal: the total neutralization of Iran’s ability to disrupt the globe. &#8220;President Trump has made it clear that his goal is to degrade and destroy the capabilities, the military capabilities of the regime, to destroy the Navy, which is done, the Air Force, which is done,&#8221; Bessent stated. He noted that current bombing campaigns are now targeting factories so the regime &#8220;cannot recreate these things.&#8221;
Characterizing the conflict as a &#8220;generational opportunity to end this,&#8221; Bessent dismissed the idea of a coherent Iranian leadership. Using a biting historical analogy, he remarked, &#8220;Think: They&#8217;re in Hitler&#8217;s bunker, but Hitler is dead. And now they have dispersed out.&#8221; He stated, &#8220;One of the things I&#8217;m going to do is bust this myth that is in the mainstream media that there is this coherent Iranian plan that they are a smoothly functioning government.  First of all, the previous Ayatollah did not want his son to become the Ayatollah. He left written instructions, and they overrode him. We believe that the current Ayatollah is injured. We don&#8217;t know to what extent and may be incapacitated. And they&#8217;re just small bases. They&#8217;re in the bunker. They are panicked. And like the circular firing [squad] that they are doing on their Gulf neighbors was a big mistake.&#8221;
Leveraging his background as a former hedge fund manager, Bessent provided a detailed breakdown of the math governing the current crisis. He estimated a global oil deficit of &#8220;somewhere between 10 and 14&#8221; million barrels a day. To bridge this gap, the Treasury is employing pragmatic, if controversial, tools — most notably a 30-day waiver for Russian oil already &#8220;on the water,&#8221; totaling roughly 130 million barrels.
When challenged on the optics of &#8220;removing sanctions on Putin,&#8221; Bessent offered a clinical defense. &#8220;Which is more? If oil spiked to $150, but Putin was getting 70% of that, or oil stays at 95 to 100. Where is he getting more money if it spikes to 150?&#8221; he asked. He argued that keeping prices lower ensures Putin’s coffers remain &#8220;roughly unchanged,&#8221; whereas a price explosion would provide the windfall Russia needs to fund a government that costs &#8220;$2 billion a day to run.&#8221;
Regarding the disruption in shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Bessent revealed a strategy of calculated leniency to keep the world supplied. &#8220;We are seeing more and more of the fuel ships start to go through; the Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we&#8217;ve let that happen to supply the rest of the world,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;We think that there will be a natural opening that the Iranians are letting out. And for now, we&#8217;re fine with that. We want the world to be well-supplied.&#8221;
He emphasized that this &#8220;natural opening&#8221; is preferable to immediate military flotillas. He pointed out that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have already diverted about 5 million barrels of production to the Red Sea. Combined with a &#8220;global SPR release, largest ever, [of] 400 million barrels,&#8221; the Treasury believes it can weather the storm.
Ultimately, Bessent’s message was clear: the administration is prioritizing market stability and the total dismantlement of Iranian power over the rigid adherence to pre-war sanction structures. By &#8220;unsanctioning&#8221; specific shipments to alleviate shortages in Asia, the Treasury is betting that short-term flexibility will prevent a global economic meltdown while the military &#8220;destroys the Iranian ability to project power&#8221; once and for all.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mjaqtdVMEJE?si=5QyYcWaqnUfYve83" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Bessent Delivers Reality Check On Oil, Slams Crisis Narrative

STABILITY IN THE STORM: Bessent Says Of Oil, 'We're Fine,' Slams ‘Crisis’ Narrative

Scott Bessent

President Donald Trump warned Sunday that NATO&#8217;s future could be at risk if the alliance does not help the United States secure the Strait of Hormuz. 
The comment came as Trump said that he had started reaching out to other countries for help keeping the strait safe from Iranian attacks. Iran has vowed to keep the strait, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes, closed while the war continues. 
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1ca6d121-760b-4ec5-b6ad-514fdaa94873">told</a> the Financial Times. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
Trump echoed those sentiments while flying back to Washington, D.C., on Sunday evening. 
“We are talking to other countries about working with us on the policing of the strait and I think we&#8217;re getting a good response. If we do, that&#8217;s great. And if we don&#8217;t, that&#8217;s great, too,” Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLKD2ulnBF4">told</a> reporters. 
He added that he would like to see NATO step in because of the funding the United States has provided for Ukraine. 
“We&#8217;re always there for NATO. We&#8217;re helping them win Ukraine,” Trump said. “Doesn’t affect us, but we&#8217;ve helped them. It’ll be interesting to see what country wouldn&#8217;t help us with a very small endeavor, which is just keeping the strait open.”
Trump said asking NATO to step in was “small” by comparison because Iran &#8220;has very little firepower left.”
“Really I&#8217;m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory. It&#8217;s the place from which they get their energy and they should come and they should help us protect it,” Trump said. 
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas <a href="https://abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/eu-weighs-action-strait-hormuz-open-131109449">said</a> Monday the bloc was “discussing” what it could do regarding the strait because it was in Europe&#8217;s interest to keep it open. 
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that he was looking to assist “a viable collective plan” to reopen the strait. He said that the United Kingdom would “not be drawn into the wider war.”
Iran again vowed Monday to keep the strait closed. 
“The Strait of Hormuz will not be open to any country intending to harm Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said. “The armed forces are controlling the transit, and no country will be able to use the Strait of Hormuz to strike against Iran.”
Trump also said he would like to see China get involved and take a role in securing the strait. He noted that China gets roughly 90% of its oil through the strait. Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. 
Global benchmark Brent crude oil rose above $100 per barrel on Monday morning, climbing as high as $106.27. Gas prices across the United States have also risen, with the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com">national average</a> increasing to $3.71 per gallon from $2.92 a month ago.

President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump Host Women’s History Month Event At The White House

Trump Warns NATO’s Future Could Be ‘Very Bad’ If Allies Refuse To Help Secure Strait Of Hormuz

China

Executive

Politics

President Donald Trump said that destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities was worth the price of increasing oil prices. 
Trump made the comments after the price of global benchmark Brent crude oil <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oil-prices-jump-as-iran-celebrates-attacks-on-oil-tankers?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Oil+Prices+Jump+As+Iran+Celebrates+Attacks+On+Oil+Tankers">surpassed</a> $100 per barrel for the second time this week on Thursday morning. The president said increasing prices would generate more revenue for the United States. 
“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is [stopping] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!”
The Pentagon echoed the president&#8217;s statement and said the focus of the Iran operation is destroying its ability to develop nuclear weapons for the long term. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Iran was developing a conventional shield system to protect its nuclear capabilities. 
While the war continues, Trump said that he would release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He said Wednesday night that the reserve would be quickly refilled when possible. 
The Trump administration is also considering waiving the Jones Act, a federal law that requires goods transported between U.S. ports to be owned and operated by American citizens. The action could help lower the costs of shipping oil and other products. 
“In the interest of national defense, the White House is considering waiving the Jones Act for a limited period of time to ensure vital energy products and agricultural necessities are flowing freely to U.S. ports. This action has not been finalized,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/us-israel-iran-war-2026/card/white-house-considers-jones-act-waiver-to-speed-up-oil-food-shipments-NYw1QdN1qNujoWrisCAv?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqfKgrOffwj7nNj_oNixHtC_R9mwUZ6vswIucLIMk049Qy0Hr4AXWEKIkZfWPFs%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69b2ebd2&amp;gaa_sig=8zLfyEUY54kp6wetZ5-FX6LYoVNr_WuQ7U6TeJO-E7zBnsh0ew-KKU_IUuU2yq0M0cymSK-sUPj0_U7M6V-zSA%3D%3D">said</a>. 
Since the launch of the Iran operation, gas prices have risen significantly across the United States. The national average on Thursday was $3.59 per gallon compared to $2.94 one month ago, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to AAA.
Trump has also floated using U.S. Navy ships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil flows. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday that it may happen soon, but said the military was focused on the Iran operation at the moment. 
“It’ll happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen now,” he <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/12/energy-secretary-wright-says-us-not-ready-to-escort-tankers-through-strait-of-hormuz-yet.html">told</a> CNBC. “We’re simply not ready. All of our military assets right now are focused on destroying Iran’s offensive capabilities and the manufacturing industry that supplies their offensive capabilities.”
“I’ll be over at the Pentagon later today — that is what the military is working on,” he added. 
Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran, said in a message released Thursday that they would continue to make passage through the Strait of Hormuz difficult. “Certainly, the lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used,” he said. 
Both Iraq and Oman closed oil terminals on Thursday after two oil tankers were struck by projectiles in the Persian Gulf. Iran took credit for one of the attacks, while Iraqi officials suspected Iran was to blame for the other tanker attack.

Trump Monitors Military Operations at White House

Trump Nukes Oil Price Critics, Puts Real Stakes In Perspective

Nuclear Weapons

This week Iran claimed to have formally closed the Strait of Hormuz, the 21-mile-wide chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world&#8217;s oil flows every single day. Three more ships — the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, the Japanese ONE Majesty, and the Marshall Islands-flagged Star Gwyneth — were struck by &#8220;unknown projectiles,&#8221; which is almost certainly reporter-speak for Iranian missiles and drones on Wednesday. This brings the total number of vessels attacked since February 28 to at least 14.
Welcome back to the Persian Gulf, circa 1987. Back then, Iran targeted tankers carrying oil from countries supplying Saddam&#8217;s Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War, forcing the Reagan Administration to escort re-flagged Kuwaiti vessels under U.S. Navy protection — a confrontation that ended with American warships sinking a significant chunk of Iran&#8217;s fleet in a single day.
This, then, is our &#8220;Back to the Future&#8221; moment. The Islamic Republic’s dusty playbook from almost 40 years ago dictates if Tehran can&#8217;t export oil freely, no one can. Iran&#8217;s most important security official now, Ali Larijani, put it plainly this week. The strait &#8220;will either be a strait of peace and prosperity for all, or a strait of defeat and suffering for warmongers.&#8221; Iranian military elites went further, vowing not to allow &#8220;a single liter of oil&#8221; to pass for the benefit of America or its allies. 
Since 2019, the IRGC Navy has been methodically re-upping its threats to freedom of navigation, using limpet mines against commercial vessels, seizing tankers, and harassing ships throughout the Persian Gulf. It also exported this threat to its Houthi proxies in the Red Sea, impeding maritime trade in yet another critical waterway after October 7, 2023.  
The mining threat we&#8217;re now confronting was incubated during the Iran-Iraq War. The last time Iran tried this, in 1988, the U.S. Navy responded with Operation Praying Mantis, destroying nearly half of Iran&#8217;s operational fleet in a single day, the largest American naval surface engagement since World War II. Tehran blinked, accepted a ceasefire, and then Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini famously compared it to &#8220;drinking a poisoned chalice.&#8221; The lesson was partially written on the wreckage of Iran&#8217;s vessels. 
U.S. Central Command moved fast this week, destroying 16 Iranian minelayers near the strait on Tuesday. By Wednesday, Trump told reporters the number was up to 28. That&#8217;s real progress but it&#8217;s not enough to change the risk calculus for ship owners and neighboring Arab states. Yet the Iranian maritime threat here isn&#8217;t its conventional fleet, most of which is now, as Trump put it, &#8220;at the bottom of the sea.&#8221; It&#8217;s the hundreds of speedboats and fast attack craft that the IRGC possesses, capable of laying mines faster than they can be hunted down. Destroying a frigate is a photo op. Neutralizing a swarm of cigarette boats is a campaign.
That&#8217;s the hard truth Trump must reckon with. Threatening &#8220;death, fire and fury&#8221; is great for the Truth Social feed. But rhetoric doesn&#8217;t sweep mines or open shipping lanes. Trump says the escort option is on the table. Ship owners are watching to see if he means it.
He should.
The Reagan administration faced a strikingly similar moment in 1987, when Iran was targeting tankers in the Persian Gulf during the &#8220;Tanker War.&#8221; Reagan&#8217;s answer was Operation Earnest Will, which involved re-flagging Kuwaiti tankers under the American flag and providing them with U.S. Navy escorts through the Persian Gulf. It was a direct challenge to Iranian maritime aggression, and it worked. The message was clear: the free flow of commerce is a vital American interest, and the United States will back that interest with force. Iran stood down.
Trump is now facing his version of that moment, and it is arguably a harder one, given the scale of the current conflict, the mining threat, and the IRGC&#8217;s asymmetric capabilities. The only way out of this crisis is through it. That means not just destroying minelayers after the fact but going after the IRGC Navy comprehensively, including its fast attack craft, its shore-based missile batteries, and its port infrastructure. 
It also means considering convoy operations to restore confidence among ship owners and allied regional states, who right now see little reason to risk their vessels in a waterway the United States has not yet secured. And it means making clear to Iran&#8217;s current leadership that the Strait of Hormuz is not a bargaining chip.
This is Trump&#8217;s Reagan moment. He&#8217;s already scored a significant security win: Ali Khamenei is gone, Iran&#8217;s conventional navy is decimated, and the regime is staggering. But the war for the global economy is still being fought on a battlefield 21 miles wide, between Iran and Oman. Winning it would deliver something Reagan never quite achieved: a decisive, lasting blow to the IRGC&#8217;s ability to hold the world&#8217;s oil supply hostage.
The question is whether Trump will pull the trigger not just on Iran&#8217;s military, but on reopening the artery that keeps the global economy alive. The Strait is where the real test of Trump’s resolve against the Islamic Republic begins.
* * *
Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow and Senior Director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

TOPSHOT-WAR-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-THAILAND-ATTACK-LOGISTICS

Trump’s Hormuz Moment: The Only Way Out Is Through

Trump's Hormuz Moment: The Only Way Out Is Through

Shipping

Oil prices jumped Thursday morning to over $100 per barrel as Iran continued striking ships throughout the region.
The global benchmark Brent crude <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqefwAt-EQq2f2JNNhkxLAMiZr8NSja_RJRbauIIDRODpAavEbp_Ppl5qW4JLOs%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69b2a854&amp;gaa_sig=_cGRajIlIZ09lbQHiYBZ2B9lILaAgrblK_9Xab5BkrfETDn4qjpHgAQ9XvA6nS0jI_Kc3iwie2lD29Je0lAGyw%3D%3D">climbed</a> above $100 early Thursday morning for the first time since Monday before slipping slightly to $97.81. The spike came as Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf disrupted the flow of oil in the region. 

At least two oil tankers were struck off the coast of Iraq on Wednesday by projectiles, <a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260311-ukmto_warning_021-26-update-001.pdf?rev=52a1e05613504b56b3d03f2a2d0489ee">according</a> to the shipping monitoring group United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. Crews on both tankers were evacuated as fires broke out.
Iran <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/12/world/iran-war-news-trump-oil-israel">reportedly</a> took credit for attacking one of the tankers, claiming the ship “disobeyed and ignored” commands. Iran is suspected of attacking the other tanker, according to Iraqi officials.
A video released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps featured a man celebrating the attack, the New York Post reported.
“Allah is the greatest! The destruction of an American tanker in the northern district of the Persian Gulf! I obey you Khamenei! Hail be the Islamic Republic of Iran! Soldiers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy!” the man <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/12/world-news/oil-prices-surge-above-100-per-barrel-after-six-ships-attacked-in-persian-gulf-strait-of-hormuz/">said</a>.
The attacks prompted both Iraq and Oman to close off oil terminals for security purposes.
The disruption has caused gas prices to rise significantly in the United States. The national average on Thursday was $3.59 per gallon compared to $2.94 one month ago, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according</a> to AAA.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday night that the United States would tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower energy costs amid the war.
“We’re going to be doing that very quickly and then will fill it up. Will fill up our reserves,” Trump said.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/11/iran-war-trump-oil-strategic-petroleum-reserve.html">said</a> that around 172 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve would start to be released next week.
When asked if the Treasury Department would begin purchasing oil futures to help bring down costs, Trump said he was focused on winning the war with Iran.
“They are pretty much at the end of the line. Doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately, but they are. They’ve got no navy, they’ve got no air force,” Trump said. “They have no systems of control. We’re just riding free range over their country.”
Trump has previously suggested that the Navy might be used to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’re going to look very strongly at the straits. The straits are in great shape. We’ve knocked out all of their boats,” he said Wednesday. “But they have some missiles, but not very many. I think we’re in very good shape.”

Iran-Tehran-Explosions-March

Oil Prices Jump As Iran Celebrates Attacks On Oil Tankers

Iraq

The U.S. military said it “eliminated” more than a dozen mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday after President Donald Trump warned Iran not to plant mines in the area. 
U.S. Central Command posted a video showing strikes targeting multiple Iranian naval vessels, saying that 16 minelayers have been destroyed. The strikes follow Trump&#8217;s threat that Iran would face consequences &#8220;at a level never seen before&#8221; if mines were placed and not removed. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
U.S. forces eliminated multiple Iranian naval vessels, March 10, including 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz. <a href="https://t.co/371unKYiJs">pic.twitter.com/371unKYiJs</a>
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/2031489675760640370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY! If for any reason mines were placed, and they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before,” Trump said Tuesday. “If, on the other hand, they remove what may have been placed, it will be a giant step in the right direction!”
He added that the same technology used in the Caribbean to strike suspected drug boats was being used against “any boat or ship attempting to mine the Hormuz Strait.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/2031472926331920575?s=20">said</a> Tuesday that the U.S. military was targeting “inactive mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz—wiping them out with ruthless precision.&#8221; He added that the United States &#8220;will not allow terrorists to hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage.”
The strikes occurred after multiple ships were hit by projectiles on Wednesday morning near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply transits. The strikes were reported by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. 
A bulk carrier <a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260311-ukmto_warning_020-26.pdf?rev=4855fffc68324923a752024b4b6b574f">was struck</a> by an “unknown projectile” about 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, UKMTO reported. “There is no report of any environmental impact. The crew are reported safe,” the shipping monitor said. 
The group also reported that a container vessel was <a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260311-ukmto_warning-update_001-018-26.pdf?rev=c7befa9af57b4c439c35bad3664ba862">hit</a> by a “suspected but unknown projectile” roughly 25 nautical miles northwest of Ra’s al Khaymah in the United Arab Emirates. In a separate incident, a cargo vessel was <a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260311-ukmto_warning_019-26_update-001.pdf?rev=1a83068d17134cf191ac2432ab3f8267">struck</a> by a projectile about 11 nautical miles north of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a fire onboard and prompting the crew to evacuate.
As shipping traffic in the strait has largely stopped, gas prices in the United States have increased, with the national average rising from $2.93 per gallon a month ago to $3.57 on Wednesday.
Trump has floated the idea of deploying U.S. Navy ships to escort tankers and other ships through the strait to ensure safe passage. He said elevated energy prices would be temporary while Iran&#8217;s nuclear capabilities were being destroyed.

MixCollage-11-Mar-2026-06-58-AM-5599

WATCH: Iranian Mine-Laying Boats Start Disappearing Fast After Trump Warning

Central Command

Oil prices have dropped for two straight days following previous surges, having hit four-year highs on Monday before logging the biggest single-day percentage drop since 2022.
Oil prices plunged on Tuesday when Secretary of Energy Chris Wright claimed in an X post that the U.S. Navy successfully escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent Crude dropped to around $81 per barrel, according to <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqe4k1-WtbbEc0_rDe9RmjIzBeQ_NbvsmIuohb4DQSo55Be0bfuc1Ez2yJhY6Pc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69a5b024&amp;gaa_sig=kegHiaf_xsPW94kPXb2xUx2YgsMT9F6cMvHsnXelmzUTlyMm_8GalBG_mAiBT6m4gV0Q7YYn6j8miOFnbJ_EGA%3D%3D">MarketWatch</a>. However, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt corrected that claim in her Tuesday afternoon press briefing, which sent oil prices back up, with Brent Crude closing around $91 per barrel.
“I can confirm that the U.S. Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time, though, of course, that’s an option that the president has said he will absolutely utilize if and when necessary at the appropriate time,&#8221; Leavitt said.
Using the U.S. Navy to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil travels, is just one of the options the Trump administration has announced that would bring down prices.
The administration ordered the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to <a href="https://www.theinsurer.com/ti/news/trump-orders-us-government-to-provide-political-risk-insurance-for-gulf-shipping-2026-03-04/">offer</a> political risk insurance to tankers operating in the Gulf. Insurance policies covering a vessel traveling through the strait have reportedly jumped by as much as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gas-prices-in-focus-after-iran-targets-key-oil-route">37.5%</a>, while others were canceled altogether. In addition, the Treasury Department lifted oil sanctions — most notably on Friday, when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a temporary <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/world/middleeast/iran-war-putin-russia-energy-oil-prices.html">30-day lift</a> allowing India to buy Russian oil.
Senate Democrats criticized the decision to lift oil sanctions, writing in a statement, “Now is not the time to clear the way for sales for Russian oil majors and Russian-owned and shadow fleet vessels.”
Bessent argued that the lifted sanctions were narrow in scope and would not provide a substantial financial benefit to the Russian government. Russia, the United States, and Saudi Arabia lead the world in oil production.

Oil Rig

Oil Prices Yo-Yo As White House Walks Back Navy Escort Claim

Karoline Leavitt

Trump Administration

The Trump administration and Israeli officials are reportedly discussing a high-stakes shift in the conflict: the direct seizure of Kharg Island, Iran’s primary economic artery.
While special operations plans originally focused on securing Iran&#8217;s 450-kilogram stockpile of highly enriched uranium, the strategic conversation has expanded to physically capturing the terminal that handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/08/iran-ground-troops-special-forces-nuclear">according to Axios</a>.
The ultimate goal, according to former Lockheed marketing executive Jarrod Agen, now the director of the National Energy Dominance Council, is to take control of Iran&#8217;s oil. &#8220;Ultimately, we’re not going to have to worry about these issues in the Strait of Hormuz because we’re going to get all of the oil out of the hands of terrorists,&#8221; Agen <a href="https://maritime-executive.com/article/report-white-house-mulling-over-a-raid-to-seize-kharg-island">said</a> in an interview on Fox Business.
Kharg Island is the &#8220;jugular&#8221; of the Iranian regime. Located 20 nautical miles off the coast, this small island is the only facility in the country capable of loading the supertankers that supply Iran’s primary customers, including China. Because Iran’s entire pipeline infrastructure is engineered to feed into Kharg, the regime has no viable way to reroute these volumes to smaller terminals like Jask or Bandar Abbas.
Seizing the island would offer the U.S. what sanctions never could: direct, physical control over the regime’s revenue. By controlling the point where crude reaches the world market, the U.S. gains an &#8220;on/off switch&#8221; for the Iranian economy without needing a full-scale invasion of the mainland.
The primary target of such an operation could be the funding of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC is not merely a military wing; it is a conglomerate that depends on state oil revenue to:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Pay salaries and benefits to maintain the loyalty of elite security forces.</li>
<li>Fund foreign proxy groups like Hezbollah and militias in Iraq and Syria.</li>
<li>Procure missiles, drones, and advanced weaponry.</li>
</ul>
If Kharg were seized, Iran stands to lose between $90 million and $130 million per day. A sudden collapse in hard-currency revenue would likely trigger hyperinflation and a domestic fiscal crisis. Under an authoritarian system, the inability to pay its praetorian guard is often the precursor to a coup or a total collapse of authority. By severing this financial lifeline, the U.S. aims to hollow out the IRGC’s power from the inside out.
The operation is viewed as a &#8220;limited&#8221; mission rather than a traditional &#8220;boots on the ground&#8221; occupation. With the U.S. already claiming to have sunk over 30 Iranian warships and established air superiority, Kharg’s isolation makes it a defensible prize.
Controlling the island would provide a strategic refueling point for other missions — such as the recovery of enriched uranium from the buried tunnels in Isfahan — and provide absolute leverage over whatever government eventually emerges in Tehran.
Ultimately, the strategy rests on a simple premise: you do not need to control the capital if you control the cash.

Satellite Imagery Of Kharg Island In Iran

Trump Admin Eyes Seizing Iran’s Economic ‘Jugular’

PIVOTAL MOVE: Trump Administration Reportedly Considering Seizing Iran’s ‘Economic Jugular’

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